Post on 01-Apr-2015
Wordly Wise Vocab
Lessons 13+14
A slideshow by Jacqueline Nelson
arduous
Adjective- requiring much effort My task was very arduous because I
had to haul a 50 ton truck up Mt. Everest.
canny
Adjective- shrewd and careful; watchful of ones own interest
Jackie made a canny decision when she decided to share her PowerPoint with the rest of the class; she figured someone else might then share with her, which would help Jackie out.
climax
Noun- the highest point; the greatest moment ever
The climax of the movie was when the heroine faced the bad guy for the last time, and it seemed like she might lose!
endorse Verb- to sign the back of a check before cashing or
depositing it I endorsed my check by putting the money into my
account. Verb - to approve of; to support When Oprah endorsed Barack Obama, he gained
many new followers because people listen to her. Verb - to be favorably associated with a product in
return for payment Athletes often get paid to endorse certain products
because companies know people will want to buy the same gear athletes use.
Exuberant
Adjective- happy and excited; bubbling over with enthusiasm
I was so exuberant when I saw my sister after 13 years apart that I was screaming and crying with joy!
intrepid
Adjective- feeling or showing no fear; brave; courageous
The man was very intrepid when he went into a tank with sharks when he was soaked in blood, just to lure the shark away from his other friend who accidently fell in.
kindle Verb- to start burning The fire started to kindle after we
rubbed the rocks to create a spark, which ignited with the twigs.
to cause to become excited or stirred up
The thought of going to Hawaii over Spring break kindled my interest; I almost fell down I was so excited!
lucrative
Adjective- producing wealth or profit My factory was very lucrative and was
making a lot of money for the company!
mentor
Noun- A wise and loyal friend and adviser
My mentor is my mom because she is always there for me, and is very helpful when I need to make tough decisions.
obsession
Noun- An interest, idea, or feeling that fills one's mind and leaves little room for anything else.
My obsession with puppies was evident; whenever I had a piece of paper I would draw pictures of them!
personable
Adjective- Pleasing in manner and appearance
I had to very personable when I showed up for my interview so people would think I looked neat, organized, and able to run a business.
proficient
Adjective - Able to do something very well; skillful
I was very proficient at reading because I could read 7 pages in 1 minute.
scanty
Adjective- Not enough or just barely enough; small in size or amount
We had a scanty supply of food; although there were ten of us, we only had three sandwiches and a bag of potato chips for our lunch.
strait
Noun-A narrow body of water connecting two larger ones
Between Siberia and Alaska is the Bering Strait, a frigid stretch of the northern Pacific Ocean.
Trouble or need I was in a real strait when I had one
dollar and hadn’t eaten in two days.
zest
Noun - Great enjoyment of; excitement
I was full of zest when my parents got me the puppy I had wanted since I was five, it was a dream come true for me!
allege
Verb- To state as a fact but without offering proof
The teacher alleged that I was cheating on the test, but since she had no proof I didn’t get a detention.
conclusive
Adjective- Putting an end to doubt; convincing
It was conclusive evidence that I didn’t cheat on my test when I got a 32 and everyone else in the class got a 100.
Counterpart
Noun- A person or thing that is similar to another
My friend Michelle is my counterpart because we have the same color eyes, hair, style of dressing, and hair style.
dismal Adjective- dark or extremely gloomy The beginning of Poe’s “The Raven” clearly
describes a dismal night; “It was in the bleak December…”
Causing misery or sadness; depressing It was very dismal outside, it was nasty and
made you feel sad about yourself no matter how good of a day you had.
enthrall
Verb- To hold the attention of as though under a spell
I was enthralled by the lava lamp; I was so fixated on it my friend had to blow a horn in my ear just to break me away from it.
exotic
Adjective- Fascinating because of being very different from the ordinary
The platypus is very exotic because you don’t see it everyday, and it’s odd looking.
incredulous Adjective- Doubtful; skeptical I was very incredulous that my dog would
be found after he ran away and he wasn’t wearing his collar: it had been three weeks since we last saw him.
Showing disbelief Peter’s expression was incredulous; he
rolled his eyes and huffed loudly to show that he thought I was crazy.
legendary Adjective- Well-known; famous and much
talked about over a long period of time Although he is no longer President, Bill
Clinton is a legendary figure in American politics.
Relating to a story (usually untrue) handed down from the past
Superman is legendary; his story has been told for ages as bedtime stories.
lurk
Verb- To prowl or lie hidden, as though about to attack
The cat was lurking behind the bushes waiting for a mouse to pass by.
menagerie
Noun- A collection of animals kept in cages for showing to the public
The play The Glass Menagerie gets its title from the fact that one of the main characters has a large collection of animals made of glass.
naive Adjective- Inexperienced; ready to accept
without analyzing I was very naïve when I accepted the
contract without looking it over to make sure there were no loop holes.
Simple in a childlike way; innocent Because children are naïve, they are
unaware of how many dangers there are in the world, and they need to be protected.
pander
Verb- To give or promise what is wanted in order to please someone – has a negative connotation
The spoiled girl’s parents pandered to her every whim, which is how she ended up with a hundred dolls, thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, and a pony before she turned twelve.
plausible
Adjective- Seeming to be true but not necessarily so
It is plausible that a comet hit the Earth and killed all the dinosaurs, although they could’ve gone extinct many other ways.
preposterous
Adjective- Too absurd to be believed; ridiculous
It was preposterous to think that aliens would come down from the sky and give me a machine to do all my homework.
scrupulous Adjective- Marked by close attention
to the smallest detail I was scrupulous when I was
correcting papers too make sure I gave everyone a fair grade.
Acting in correct and honest manner Judges for competitions are expected
to be scrupulous so the results of the competition will be fair and accurate.